Wire stripper



Oct. 16, 1962 c. T. HARDT 3,058,377

WIRE STRIPPER Filed Aug. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheeb 1 INVENTOR. C ARL. T HARDT B Oct 1962 c. T. HARDT 3,058,377

WIRE STRIPPER Filed Aug. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

CARL T: HARDT "Ti Finn 42 ie dies The present invention relates generally to tools for stripping insulation from an electrically insulated wire and more particularly to a compact wire stripper having means for limiting the length of wire to be stripped and means for adjusting the stripping die.

Basically, the invention comprises a pair of elements which, for example, may be the handles of a hand tool in one embodiment, said elements being U-shaped in cross-section and pivotally connected for movement between open and closed positions. One flange on each U-shaped element mounts a die-member having a plurality of die portions. Mating die portions on the two die members form a wire stripping die when the elements are pivoted to their closed position. Another flange on a first of the U-shaped elements extends laterally beyond the flange mounting the die member to form stop means in facing relation with the die portions on that element, said stop means abutting the end of a wire inserted through the die portion and accordingly limiting the length of wire which will be stripped. To accommodate this further-extending flange when the elements are closed, the other flange on the second element has a recessed part for receiving the further-extending flange, thereby preventing movement-stopping abutment of the two flanges which would otherwise occur before the elements have moved all the way to their closed positions.

As an additional feature, the die members are mounted on their respective elements, in a manner to be subsequently described in detail, which enables adjustment of these members independent of their movable elements so as to vary the lateral distance separating a pair of mating die portions when the elements are closed. Thus, if the die portions are not in the desired closed contacting relation upon closing of the movable elements, the die members can be adjusted until the die portions are so closed.

As another additional feature, the die members are to be constructed in such a manner, subsequently described in detail, which prevents the stripping die portions from overlapping or passing over each other, thereby preventing wires which are inserted in their proper die opening, from being cut in two when the elements are closed.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a wire stripper having means for limit ing the length of wire to be stripped.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a wire stripper of the type described having wire stripping dies which may be independently adjusted to closed positions.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a wire stripper of the type described having a means for preventing the severance of wires when in the closed position.

A further object of the present invention is a Wire stripper of the type described and which is of compact construction, simple to fabricate economical as to cost.

Other objects and advantages are inherent in the structure claimed and disclosed as will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of a hand tool containing a wire stripper constructed in accordance with the present invention, and shows the hand-tool handles and wireatent stripping die members with integral stops in their open positions;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partially in section, similar to FIG. 1 and shows the handles and die members in their closed positions;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the hand tool and Wire stripper when closed;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 66 in FIG. 2.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 to 4, there is shown a hand tool containing a wire stripper constructed in accord ance with the present invention. The hand tool comprises a pair of U-shaped handles or elements 10, 11, each having a respective end 39, 40 (FIG. 3) pivotally mounted on a pin 14. As shown in FIG. 6, handle 10/ has a pair of flanges 27, 28 extending from an integral web 29 and handle 11 has a similar pair of flanges 27a and 28a extending from an integral web 29a. Extending through both flanges on respective handles 10, 11 are pivot pins 15, 16 each mounting a tail portion 32, 33 of a respective jaw member 12, 13 (FIGS. 1 to 3) both of which are pivotally mounted on a bolt 17 adjacent their respective head portions 34, 35 and secured together by a nut 38.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 4, each handle 10, 11 mounts a respective die member 18, 19 each having one end pivotally mounted on pin 14 and another end attached to its respective handle by respective screws 2&1, 21 extending through slots 22, 23 in die members 18, 19 respectively (FIG. 2). Each die member 18, 19 has a plurality of die portions 24, 25 respectively, and each die portion mates with an opposing die portion on the other die member to form a wire-stripping die when the handles have been pivoted to the closed position shown in FIG. 2.

Each die member 18, 19 also has an edge face 44, 45 adjacent to die portions 24, 25 respectively. Face 44 abuts face 45 when the handles have been pivoted to the closed position shown in FIG. 2 for the purpose of preventing the by-passing and/or overlapping of the respective die portions 24 and 25.

Each pin 14, 15, 16 is secured to the handles by cres cent-shaped washers 41 each lying on the outer surface of a respective flange and engaging a peripheral groove 42 formed at each end of each pin (FIG. 6). Handles 1t 11 are normally urged to the open position shown in FIG. 1 by a wire spring 43 wrapped around pin 14 and having opposite diverging ends pushing outwardly against respective tail portions 32, 33 of jaws 12, 13 (FIGS. 5 and 6).

Extending laterally from the lower flange 28a on handle 11 is a portion 26 (FIGS. 1 and 6) which acts as stop means for a wire inserted through a die portion 25 on die member 19. More specifically, a wire inserted through the die portion abuts against stop means 26 which limits the length of wire which may extend through the die and accordingly limits the amount of insulation which would be stripped from the wire when the die members are closed and the wire is pulled outwardly through the closed dies to strip the insulation therefrom.

To accommodate stop means 26 when the handles are closed the lower flange 28 on handle 10 has a recessed portion 30 which receives stop means 26 (FIGS. 3, 5 and 6), thus preventing abutment of the inner edge 36 of stop means 26 with the inner edge 37 on the opposite lower flange 28 (FIG. 6), and thereby enabling the handles to fully pivot to the closed position illustrated.

Referring to FIG. 2, slots 22 23 in die members 18,

3 19 enable die portions 24, 25 to be adjusted to closed contacting positions if the die portions are not closed when abutment of jaw heads 34, 35 stops further movement of handles 10, 11. More specifically, screw 20 or 21 may be loosened and a die member pivoted about pin 14 to change the angular position of the die member relative to its respective handle 10, 11. This change varies the lateral distance separating the pair of mating die portions 24, 25 when the die member are closed. Thus if die portions 24, 25 are not in fully closed positions when the handles are closed, this can be remedied by loosening screws 20, 21 and pivoting die members 18, 19 about pin 14 towards each other until edge faces 44, 4S abut. This adiustment may be necessary when a new tool is used for the first time, and from time to time thereafter, as required. It is under such conditions as last described that the full Value of the stop faces 44, 45 on members 18, 19 can be best appreciated.

It is to be understood that the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings and described above is merely illustrative of one of the many forms which the invention may take in practice without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A wire stripper comprising a pair of elements, means connecting each element for movement between open and closed positions, one of said elements being U-shaped in cross-section and having a pair of flanges extending from an integrally connecting web toward the other element, a first die portion on a first of said flanges on said one element, a mating second die portion on the other element, said die portions forming a wire stripping die when the elements are in said closed positions, the second of said flanges comprising stop means facing said first die portion and for limiting the length of wire to be inserted through said Wire stripping die, thereby limiting the length of wire stripped.

2. A wire stripper as recited in claim 1 wherein said other element is U-shaped in cross-section and has a pair of flanges extending towards said one element, one of said flanges on said other element overlapping said stop means on the second flange of said one element when the elements are in their closed positions, said one flange on the other element having a recessed part for receiving the stop means when the elements are in their closed positions.

3. A wire stripper as recited in claim 1 and comprising a die member on said first flange of said one element, said first die portion being formed in said die member,

and means mounting said die member for adjustable positioning on the one element to completely close and mate with the second die portion when the elements are in their closed position, whereby the size of the wire 5 stripping die will remain constant.

4. A wire stripper as recited in claim 3 wherein said die member has a pair of end portions each on a respective opposite side of said first die portion, and said die member mounting means comprises means pivotally mounting one of said die member end portions on the one element, an arcuate slot in the die member between the other of its end portions and its die portion, and a screw extending through said slot and in threaded engagement with the one element.

5. A wire stripper comprising a pair of elements, means connecting each element for movement between open and closed positions, a die member on one of said elements, a first die portion on said die member, a mating second die portion on the other of said elements, said die portions forming a wire stripping die when the elements are in said closed positions, means mounting said die member for adjustable positioning on the one element to completely close and mate with the second die portion when the elements are in their closed positions whereby the size of the wire stripping die will remain constant, and stop means on one of said elements limiting the length of wire to be inserted through said wire stripping die, thereby limiting the length of wire stripped, wherein said die member has a pair of end portions each on a respective opposite side of said first die portion, and said die member mounting means comprises means pivotally mounting one of said die member end portions on the one element, an arcuate slot in the die member between the other of its end portions and its die 35 portion, and a screw extending through said slot and in threaded engagement with the one element.

6. A wire stripper as recited in claim 5 wherein said element connecting means comprises means mounting the elements for pivotal movement, and said pivotal mounting means for the die member comprises means mounting the die member for pivotal movement about the same axis about which said elements move while pivoting between their first and second positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,456,928 Lake May 29, 1923 2,386,327 Martin Oct. 9, 1945 2,778,255 Miller Jan. 22, 1957 

